There was not a lot to separate the top six products we tested and any of these filters will provide a good level of screening. It’s worth noting that all the programs tested have the potential to perform better if 'trained' correctly over a period of time by manually approving or disapproving content.

Of the 15 filters tested, the top six comprised two commercial (NetNanny and CyberPatrol), three government supplied (Integard, Safe Eyes for Mac and Optenet Web Filter) plus one freeware filter (ParentalControl Bar).

Beware the boxed product

Software versions tend to change rapidly and it's easy for retailers to be left with old stock on their shelves. So if you buy a boxed software product be sure to double check the version before purchase.

Of the tested products, NetNanny 5 was the only one we found in a boxed product available from computer retailers. However, this was an older version than the one available for download and was not compatible with Internet Explorer 7. We purchased a current version online for testing.